


When I watch the world burn (All I think about is you)

by heloved3000



Series: What if verse [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Stony, Fix-It of Sorts, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Slow Burn, Time Travel Fix-It, steve goes back to fix things and makes a mess, surprise character you won't see coming is coming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-18 17:08:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19338865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heloved3000/pseuds/heloved3000
Summary: In the aftermath of Hydra being discovered hiding in SHIELDS midst, the team go on the hunt for Tony who was taken by Rumlow and is now in Hydra's clutches. Will they get there in time? Or will Steve have to live through yet another age of Ultron?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back folks! 
> 
> Part 2 of the What if series is here! I highly suggest that those reading this for the first time go and seek out part 1 because you will need to know what happens there first before starting on this one~!
> 
> For those of you who are back, I do hope you enjoy what is coming! A big thanks to tunastork (mariexa), julie, levana84, cliffbot, slightly_salty_ace, lockeher, aima015, Madlenita, Drogon_Danger7, Emerald, Ceisya, aperson220, roseandthorns28 (HI is your username riyria related??) SofiaMichelle and Daydreamer_Nightthinker for all your comments on the last chapter of part one! I appreciate ever single one of them!
> 
> Chapter 2 will be soon! I may or may not be working on a few other projects as well. Enjoy!

-oo-

 

"He still hasn't said anything huh?"   
  
"Not a word."   
  
"Have you talked to him?"   
  
"Not yet. I was getting ready to."   
  
"What are you even doing out of bed? You could barely walk yesterday."   
  
Steve shrugged his shoulders, looking through the hospital door window at Bucky who was lying in the hospital bed motionless. Like Steve's own serum, it let him heal quickly and he hadn't been as injured in the fight as Steve was so he was already in near perfect health. He could have broken out of there anytime in the last three days but he hadn't. Hadn't tried. Hadn't threatened it. He hadn't done _anything_. At first Steve thought his friend had just given up but after watching him for a little while, he realized that he hadn't. He was waiting for something.   
  
But no matter how many times he was interrogated, he never said a word.   
  
Fury was losing his patience so Steve decided that he would give it a try. He himself was feeling better. The state his face had been cleared up and the gun shot wounds were more achy then they were painful. He'd be completely fine by the end of week.   
  
Sucking in a breath, he reached for the door knob.   
  
"Let's how this goes.''   
  
Bucky looked at the door when he stepped in, a look of disappointment flickered across his features before it was masked behind one of disinterest. He turned his head to look away from Steve and stared out the window. Steve tried not to let that hurt. He reminded himself that this wasn't the Bucky of the past nor was it the friend he regained in another future. He had to start over again and that was okay. He just had to take things slow.  
  
"Hey Buck." No answer. "You wouldn't happen to remember me at all yet would you?"   
  
Still nothing and Steve sighed, moving into an empty chair next to the bed, easing himself down slowly. Crossing his arms, he chose this time to think.  
  
In the three days since he's woken up, several things had happened. SHIELD was in the middle of clean up. They were dealing with the members of HYDRA in their ranks, figuring out the mess under the building and the media fall out. From what he heard from Natasha, they still had plenty of good, honest agents in their midst so they didn't lose too much after shining light on HYDRA. However, he did learn that in all of the confusion, Loki's scepter went missing.   
  
It was a detail he'd forgotten about. HYDRA slipped it out the last time at some point and they'd gotten it again this time.   
  
As for his team, he had them going over the information they'd gathered to find bases that HYDRA could be using to hide in. With the staff gone again, he at least had an idea of where to look. The last time they found it, it was in Sokovia but that was in 2015. They weren't supposed to come across it for another _two years_. Would it even be there if they looked?   
  
He hoped that where ever the scepter was, Tony was with it because there was still no word on where he was. In three days they could have gotten anywhere in the confusion and there was no surveillance that captured what happened leaving them completely in the dark on where to begin.  
  
"The man that saved me--"   
  
Steve's head snapped up and he stared at Bucky in surprise. He still hadn't turned his head, staring intently at the window but his expression had turned into a frown.   
  
"--what happened to him?"   
  
"Tony?" He heard about how Tony had dragged Bucky into the elevator before he got nabbed and it made his chest hurt. Not only could he have had a Tony that wanted to help Bucky in the other time-line if he hadn't been too cowardly to tell him about his parents but now the Tony here, that was willing to help, was the one that was missing.   
  
"He's been taken by Hydra."   
  
"Oh. I'm sorry."   
  
"Why--"  
  
"He was saving me, when he didn't need to; when he shouldn't have, not after I tried to kill him."   
  
So Bucky could remember the incident on the street which meant they hadn't wiped his mind in the time between then and now. It was reassuring to know.   
  
"That isn't Tony's style. He helps those that need it and looks past the things they've done. Once we find him, you can talk to him yourself about it. You're coming with us when we go back to New York tomorrow"  
  
"No--"   
  
"Listen. I know about the things that Hydra made you do. I know about _everything._ You don't need to tell me that you're a danger and you're still a risk. I _know_ all of that and I think the safest place you can be is with my team back in New York. We won't make you help us, it's just some place you can lie low for a little. There's no arguing."   
  
"Steve--"   
  
Before Steve could comment on the fact that Bucky actually used his name and before Bucky could finish his sentence, Clint popped his head into the room, knocking after they'd both already seen him.   
  
"Fury wants to talk to you." He stepped into the room and he gestured towards the door. "Sounded pretty urgent. I'll be on babysitting duty while you're talking."   
  
"But--"  
  
"Just go Cap." Clint offered a small nod towards Bucky who was eyeing them. "I know a bit about brainwashing. Nothing as traumatic as your friends but it gives us something to talk about."   
  
"Alright. Where is he?"  
  
"Your room waiting."  
  
Steve just sighed as he left, making his way back to his own hospital room. Fury was sitting in one of the chairs, tapping his fingers together as he waited. Hill was off to side, leaning back in another chair and she sat up when he stepped into the room. Passing Fury, he took a seat back on the vacant bed.   
  
"What's this I hear about you taking Barnes and the others back to New York?"   
  
"It's exactly that." He let his legs dangle over the edge, hands resting against the mattress as he met Fury's stare. He had plenty of time to think this over in the last few days and even started getting work on his new plans.   
  
"Until you can get everything with SHIELD under control and you're certain you're Hydra free, I'm not leaving Bucky in your custody. There's too much risk that someone can get him and he's safer in our hands."   
  
_"Our?"_  
  
"The Avengers. We started out as your pet project but I plan for us to be independent from SHIELD and any government. We'll be willing to work with you, once things are settled and we won't risk operations in a country without the right authorities knowing." Something they overlooked the last time they worked as a team and the worlds countries were not happy with some of the outcomes. If they could work with governments, not for them, he was hoping that they could avoid anything like the Sokovia Accords. "But ultimately we'll be working on our own and I'm taking Sergeant Barnes into our protective custody."  
  
"Effective?"   
  
"Immediately. Barton is with him now. If and when he remembers anything of use, we'll let you know but he's going to stay under our care."   
  
"And what about Tony?"   
  
Tony, Steve noted, not Stark. He hadn't realized that Fury and Tony were that close. Actually, now that he was thinking about it, he vaguely recalled Tony calling Fury by his first name. He put a pin in that for now, deciding to look more into that later as he sighed.   
  
"We're going to start hitting Hydra bases after we get settled in the tower, starting with any here in the states. We don't think they'd risk taking him out of the country yet, not with everything out in the open and every one on edge. Once you get agents cleared, we'll be happy to have any back up you might want to provide."   
  
That earned a soft chuckle from the other man and Fury got to his feet.   
  
"You drive a hard bargain. Romanoff and Barton?"   
  
"I gave them the offer. They can either be SHIELD, Avengers or both. You'll have to talk to them about their decisions."   
  
"Fine. We'll be in touch Captain. Good luck with this team of yours. I'll see what we can find on our end regarding Stark."

 

"So--" Sam and Natasha joined him a little while later, Nat dropping a duffel bag of his things with his shield in the corner of the room. "--How'd your talk with Fury go?"   
  
"He didn't tell me no so I think it went pretty well all things considered. "   
  
"What's next?"  
  
"Well...We need to get a hold of Thor. So we need to figure out how to do that. He's going to want to know about Loki's scepter missing. Anything you might be able to tell me?"   
  
"No--"   
  
"I can." Steve and the others turned to look at Clint who joined them, standing in the doorway. "Barnes is sleeping. He'll be ready to go in the morning like we planned. As for Thor, I was there, when he first came to Earth."   
  
"You were?"   
  
"Mhm. I was working with Coulson, guarding the hammer when it arrived before him. Saw him in action before he just gave up. We had him in our custody when someone got him out. I can get the paperwork out of SHIELD tonight and we can get a hold of him by morning."   
  
"Do it. We'll all meet on the quinjet tomorrow morning at 0800. If you're late, you'll have to buy a ticket back to New York."   
  
"Aye aye Captain."

  
-oo-

  
Tony groaned as he slowly came back to the world of the living. His mouth felt dry and thick like he'd eaten cotton and his head was pounding. He would have chalked it up to a hangover if he was still drinking like he was a couple years prior but it wasn't that. He knew enough from being in and out of it the past few days, that he was drugged after Rumlow carted him out of SHIELD's headquarters. His face was sore, his back hurt. He was getting too old to be tossed around like a sack of potatoes. Looking down at himself he made a face. He was still in the clothes, minus one watch, that he was wearing back at Wilson's when Rumlow first took him. He probably smelled. This was just _fantastic_.  
  
Sitting up, he looked around. It was...well pretty bare. Three of the walls were smooth metal, with a room off to the side and no windows. It looked like a bathroom with a simple toilet, sink and a shower head were in the little room so that wasn't entirely bad. The last wall was a series of metal bars and outside he could see a similar type of cell across the hall. There wasn't even a bed. He got a pillow at least but one blanket which meant he got to sleep on a cold metal floor. _Amazing_. He was loving this so far.   
  
Scooting over to the cell bars, he peered into the cell across from him and realized that there was a lump over the covers. Hydra _was_ keeping people here. There was someone else! That was good. Other people meant he could get information. See if they knew the layout of the building, who was in charge and what they were doing here.   
  
"Hey-- Hey--" He whispered harshly. "You, in the other cell, are you alive? Tell me you're alive. I really don't want to make friends with a corpse. They make for crummy conversation."   
  
There was a bit of movement and he let out a relieved sigh. He wasn't sure he could get through this alone. He wouldn't have lasted in Afghanistan if it wasn't for Yinsin. The other prisoner moved and sat up, wrapping a blanket around their small form and Tony's heart stopped. It was a child. Just a kid. Probably no more than ten years old. The clothes he was in were ratty and torn, dark hair tousled with sleep. He looked pale from where Tony sat. It looked like they had some sort of device strapped to his mouth to keep him from talking. It was metal, blocky in the front and extended over his chin and across his jaw.   
  
Actually.   
  
It looked a little familiar.   
  
Why did it look familiar?   
  
"Ah, Mister Stark." Tony looked away from the kid and up at the man coming down the cell with Rumlow. He was bald with a monocle and wore all back. It screamed bad guy and Tony just wanted to sigh.   
  
"Who do I talk to about the accommodations?" He asked, scooting back to sit against the one wall. "This is probably the worst place I've ever stayed in and you wouldn't _believe_ some of the places that were booked for me when my assistant was mad. It was a passive aggressive thing. I make her mad, she books me in one star hotels."   
  
The man just listened, hands behind his back. He actually looked sort of amused.   
  
"I'm guessing you're in charge? I hope the meals are better then the sleeping arrangements."   
  
"I've heard about the smart mouth of the great Tony Stark. A mouth almost as smart as that brain of yours. A brain that is right now, the only thing keeping you alive. "   
  
"Let me guess, you want me to build you something." It was Afghanistan all over again. Hell, it was Killian all over again. What would it be this time? Another weapon? An Extremis like virus?  
  
"You are correct. You are a smart man--"  
  
"You said that already--"   
  
"And your technology is hard to replicate. None of our own engineers can come close to duplicating your work and you shared next to nothing with SHIELD that we could use. So we'll just have you make it for us."   
  
"Make what? I make a lot of things Uncle Pennybags."  
  
"A suit of armor for us to use. Like that of your Iron Man. We have plenty of supplies for you to use here."   
  
He wanted to laugh. He really just wanted to laugh. They wanted an Iron Man suit? Of course they did. Why wouldn't they. It was Hammer, all over again, and the government. Well no. The government officials that had been trying to get their grummy mitts on his armor were Hydra so he was just making circles. He wanted to tell the man to stick it. He wasn't going to make them a suit but--  
  
What if they used the kid against him? He didn't know who the hell the kid was but Tony would be damn sure he wasn't going to get hurt on his watch.   
  
He could use this to his advantage. If they let him near tech, he could do something to get them help. To get Steve word where he was or to make something to get them out of there. As long as he could get his hands on something he could build, they had a chance.   
  
"Before you agree as a way to get your hands on something that can help you, you will be monitored at all times. If it looks like you're making something other than a suit of armor, we will kill the child."  
  
 _Dammit._  
  
"Then I don't agree."   
  
Rumlow snorted next to the man and raised his gun, fixing it on the child in the other cell. The child, wide eyed, curled himself up in the far corner.   
  
"No no no. Wait. Don't shoot him. I'll...I'll do it. I'll do it!"   
  
"Excellent to hear. And do not worry. We have ways to make you more amicable to our plans so cheer up. You will not feel guilty for helping us. I guarantee it. We'll start in the morning Mister Stark, be sure to get your rest."   
  
Tony watched them walk off and let his head rest against the cold wall with a shaky sigh. What a mess. His eyes moved to look at the kid across from him who was watching him warily and he mustered a little smile.  
  
"It's okay kid. We'll get out of here. I promise."   
  
Steve and their team would come.   
  
He believed in them.   
  
All he had to do was hold on.


	2. Chapter 2

-oo-

 

"Report on that base"   
  
"Sorry Cap. Nothing. Looks like they cleared out of here pretty quick."   
  
"Alright. Call it a day. We'll go over everything when you get back."  
  
Steve grit his teeth, biting back a curse. He wasn't cleared for active duty and no matter how many times he said he was okay and could fight, the others disagreed. They argued that he needed a break. He needed to relax. But being left behind while Natasha, Clint and Sam methodically went through the Hydra bases located in the states was driving him nuts. He didn't like being stationary. It left him with pent up energy.   
  
It was days after they'd returned to New York. The team got settled and Steve let Bucky pick a room of his own. He was certain that Tony wouldn't have minded, as it had been the same thing he'd done for all of them. The following day, Nat and the other two left to hit the bases and were nearly done the list. Bruce stayed behind, on call in case they came across trouble while Steve paced.   
  
The most he had to do was call a woman named Jane in search of Thor and leave a message for him to come back to the tower. He also had JARVIS pass on the news to Pepper and Rhodes about Tony. Rhodes said he would see what he could do where he was and get in touch with some people while Pepper asked them to keep it quiet for now, not wanting to upset those on the Industry side of things. For now all he could do was wait.  
  
And he hated it.   
  
So did Bucky.   
  
"I understand that Stark is a billionaire but I don't think he's going to be happy if he comes back to worn out floors Steve."   
  
The few days they'd been there, Bucky was making strides. Steve himself hadn't done much other than be a comforting presence when he needed it. Bucky had the world at his fingertips there at the tower so he left him to his own devices. He let Bucky read about Steve and himself and the world he'd once been a part of. Anything else he had questions about Steve tried his best to answer or Bruce tried to help him.   
  
Despite his friends progress, there were still downs. He flinched when one of them moved too fast, certain sounds seemed to put him on edge and there were times when the team was woken up from screams coming down the hall. Steve was grateful for his friends though as they stepped in when they were around. Sam gave Bucky someone to snark with, a relationship Steve was warmed at seeing again. Natasha was able to talk to him about some of the darker aspects of his life while Clint just gave him someone to hang out with. He knew Bruce let Bucky sit in his lab the couple of  nights when he couldn't sleep, giving him some quiet and peace of mind.  
  
There was just one person missing right now and Tony's absence now just reminded him of a future where Iron Man had saved the universe but wasn't given the chance to see it. He didn't like that future.  
  
"He'll get over it."   
  
Steve stopped pacing and sank into one of the couches though and dragged his hands over his face.  
  
"No word then?"   
  
"None. The place in DC was abandoned and the chair you mentioned was gone. They must have had a plan in place in case of something like this."   
  
"Sorry--"   
  
"Don't apologize Buck. You gave us a lead. A good one. They're just a couple steps ahead of us."   
  
When Natasha, Clint and Sam returned to the tower they brought dinner and the group of them sat around the living eating while the three of them went over the hideouts they checked out. There hadn't been anything left behind in any of them. No technology. No paperwork. Nothing. They were spotless, though some of the cleared SHIELD agents were going to go through and do a second check. It was disheartening to say the least knowing that they were able to get out of the States with Tony in tow and no one even saw them.  
  
The clapping of thunder on a relatively sunny day announced the arrival of Thor midway through dinner and he stormed through the glass doors of the balcony, pausing briefly at the group of them sitting around the living room.   
  
"Jane informs me you have news?"   
  
"You might want to sit for this. It isn't good."   
  
Clint patted the empty spot next to him, passing him a bag of food when he sank his entire weight into the couch. He took the bag without question and started eating.   
  
"Where is Stark?"   
  
"Part of a long story and why we called you." Natasha started. The group of them filled him in on the situation with SHIELD and Hydra, the kidnapping of Tony and finally, the fact that someone had stolen the scepter.  
  
"Loki's scepter can do a good deal of harm in the wrong hands."   
  
"We know. We're hoping that wherever the scepter is, Tony is."   
  
"Is there anything you might be able to do to find it? Anyone you can ask?"   
  
"There is Heimdall but with the bifrost still in repair it is harder to get word back home. I swore not to return without Loki and I--"   
  
An alarm blared over them for a second, making Clint, Sam and Bruce jump while Natasha, Bucky and Steve both stood at the ready. Thor looked around rather confused. A hologram screen appeared in the middle of their group, over the table of food. A map of an area with a slowly moving red blip.  
  
"JARVIS?"   
  
**"A satellite has found traces of the tracking device in Mister Starks watch gauntlet."**  
  
Steve got to his feet, heart thudding in his chest. Tony got out. Or was this a trap? He wouldn't put it past Hydra to use it against them; to lure them in when they figured out what it could do. He had hope though. Tony could get out of any situation if he put his mind to it.  
  
"Where?"   
  
" **Russia, Captain.** " For a second he paused. How close to Siberia was Tony? Was it another base or the one he already knew of?  
  
"Alright. JARVIS get me the exact coordinates and see if you can get through to him. Contact Colonel Rhodes and let him know where to meet us." He nodded to the group already getting up to go get ready. "We leave in twenty. We shouldn't be too long Buck."   
  
"Let me come with you."   
  
"No--"   
  
"Steve. This is Hydra I have just as much right to go as you do. You leave me behind, I'll find my own way there."  
  
Pursing his lips together, Steve could see the determination in Bucky's eyes. He wasn't afraid to face those who had harmed him. He wanted revenge. He wanted to something as much as Steve did. They fought Hydra together in the war and they could fight it together now. He couldn't deprive him of this.  
  
"Fine. But if it's too much for you, I'll send you back to the jet to wait it out with Banner."   
  
"Deal. _Thank-you._ ''  
  
"Let's go stop Hydra."

  
-oo-

  
The first time in the chair was excruciating and terrifying. Strapped down with the guard in his mouth to keep him from biting off his own tongue, Tony had tried his damnedest not to scream. It felt like something was taking a knife to his brain and methodically removing what made him, him. Fingers gripped the chair until his knuckles were white and his eyes stayed closed during the whole procedure until he was finally released. They didn't even make him work on anything that first day. Instead they dragged him back to his cell and dropped him on the floor where his blanket was.   
  
Curled up, he started on the mantra that he'd begun in his head as he was dragged to the room where the chair was.   
  
"My name is Anthony Edward Stark. My friends call me Tony. My mothers name is Maria. My fathers name is Howard. I have people who care about me. Pepper. Rhodey. Happy. Steve. Natasha. Clint. Bruce. Thor. Sam. Fury. Harley. I am Iron Man."   
  
He repeated it to himself several times, wanting to remember that much at least because to him, those were the important bits. The most important bits, actually.   
  
Then he'd heard the shuffling and realized that they'd moved the kid into his cell and that was, well that was okay actually because now they could suffer together and it gave Tony the chance to actually talk to the poor kid more in person rather than from a separate cell.   
  
"Hey, kid." He offered but the boy stayed in his corner. Tony let out a little sigh and gestured to his mouth. "That thing, must be pretty annoying to have it in all the time huh?" How were they even feeding this kid?   
  
"I can take it off. I know how to work it. Would you like that?"   
  
Slowly, tentatively, the boy nodded, tousled hair bouncing with the movement. He watched Tony warily before he scooted a little closer. Tony in turn, carefully moved his hands to the device. He remembered Thor showing it to him before after he slapped it on his brothers face. Turning it on and off with a laugh because he knew it would annoy Loki. At the time Tony thought it was funny but he was glad the Asguardian had showed him. How did Hydra get a piece of Asguardian tech in the first place?  
  
Once it had returned to it's compact version, he chucked it through the bars and into the other cell where the guards would have to look for it if they wanted to put it back on.  
  
The boy rubbed at his cheeks and jaw, scooting back to his place at the wall with a quiet thank-you.   
  
"You're Loki, right?" It wasn't hard to piece together. The mouth guard was the biggest give away, he'd seen it on Loki the day he escaped with the tesseract from the tower. Given his looks, it was easy to put this child to the older Asguardian. How he ended up like that and where the tesseract was, was another thing altogether. The kid looked at him in surprise but didn't give him an answer.   
  
"Hey, it's alright. I'm a friend of Thors. He's your brother right?" Finally a nod and Tony offered the faintest of smiles. "I'm Tony."   
  
"I...I thought only your friends called you Tony."   
  
"So you were listening to that huh? Well, that's true. I guess that means we're friends now, hm?"   
  
Another nod, this time with a little smile and he could see the kid-- Loki, start to loosen up.   
  
"Do you remember how you got here?" This time he shook his head and Tony sighed. "You remember anything?"   
  
"I remember having lunch with my brother and mother."  
  
"A nice memory but not helpful to the current situation. Do you remember a blue cube at all? Glowed a little?" Another shake of his head and Tony scooted back to sit against the wall. "That's alright too. I'll figure something out. My friends are going to come and get us out of here but they tend to be a little late. I might have to step in and get the ball rolling a little."   
  
"Do you really think they can get us out of here?"   
  
"I sure do. Haven't known them for very long but so far, they haven't let me down yet."   
  
The sounds of footsteps approaching had Loki scooting closer to him out of fear over anything. A guard stopped at his cell, holding a plate of actually decent looking food. He looked at Loki, his mouth guard off, then at Tony before looking at the one plate. There was a shrug before he slid it through the bars and walked off. Lovely. Walking over, he grabbed it and sat down.   
  
"Have you eaten since you've been here?"   
  
There was a small shake of the boys head and Tony let out another sigh before he passed the plate over without hesitation.   
  
"You need it more than I do."

 

The second time hadn't been any better and after they'd pulled him out of that chair, they put him another and started him working on the schematics for a new suit of armor. He could work on armor. He liked armor. He had the code work for his suits memorized by now, with how often he worked on them. Hell, he'd made lot. Right? Yeah. He made lots. He'd only gotten through the design of it before they tossed him back in the cell with Loki. He repeated his mantra, word for word before spending the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out what it was he forgot while Loki talked to him about his family. Who did he forget now? Faces were blurred, names were getting hard to remember. What was his age again? Why couldn't he remember where he went to school? When he graduated?   
  
The longer he was trapped here, the more he was going to forget and that thought terrified him.

 

Their luck changed a little on the third day. After his trip to the chair, he diligently began work on the armor schematics. He couldn't remember why he shouldn't or why he was trapped here but he could still remember how to make the armor. It was almost done. He would probably finish it tonight and then they could build it while he slept. They even left him alone while he worked since he was doing so without much complaint. That, was a mistake on their part because sitting on the desk among a bunch of things was his watch.   
  
He stared at it. Knew, deep down, that it was important and then slipped it into his pocket before he was back to work without them knowing. When he was dragged back to his cell late in the evening, he curled up against the far wall and tried to remember his mantra.   
  
"My name... is Anthony Edward Stark. My friends call me Tony? My...my mothers name is Maria. My fathers name is..is.."   
  
"Howard." Piped Loki from where he sat. "You have people who care about you. Pepper. Rhodey. Happy. Steve--"   
  
"--Natasha. Clint. Bruce. Thor. Sam. Fury. Harley. I am Iron Man." He gave the kid a small grateful smile before repeating it another few times without fail. Then he was pulling the watch out. He turned it over in his hands, looking it over curiously. He knew there was something important about this watch.   
  
"I made this watch....I made it...defensive. It's to protect me." He frowned, squinting at it. "It should track me. Why isn't tracking me? They must have something jamming it. If I can get it outside--"   
  
Loki was watching him with interest and he looked at the boy in return.   
  
What did he know about Loki? He had to remember. He was a trickster god but not...but not completely like the mythology. He didn't know much mythology anyways. He could turn himself into things! That's right. He'd seen it! He knows he's seen it.   
  
Without warning, he grabbed Loki's hand and slipped the watch onto his wrist.   
  
"You know magic right?"   
  
"No I--"   
  
"Shapeshifting and all that? You can do that?"   
  
"I-I haven't tried--"   
  
"You need to try. You need to succeed. That watch can get us help if you can get us out of here. After lights out, turn into something that can get through those bars, find a way out and just _run._ Once you're far enough away, they'll get the signal and come to you. All you have to do is run."   
  
"But what if I can't?"   
  
"Kid, who do you look up to the most? Your father? Mother?" Both of those earned him a shake of a head. "Your brother? What would your brother do? Would the Thor you know give up without trying?"  
  
"N-no."  
  
"Are you going to give up without trying?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Then prove me wrong."

They waited until the lights went out a few hours later. He waited for the first passing of the guards before stirring Loki into action. 

"Let's see what you can do."  
  
Loki nodded before there was a look of concentration on the boys face, a finger tracing over the face of the watch. As much as Tony had loathed the older Loki, watching him turn into Cap for that moment had been amazing to see. Just the sheer ease of it. It was no difference now as the boy in front of him turned into a mouse. Tony wanted to jump up and down with a laugh but kept composed, fitting the watch over the little body like a mouse sized belt.   
  
"Remember kid. Get out. Keep running. Don't stop until they find you okay. Captain America, Steve. He'll find you."   
  
And like that, the little mouse was out of the bars and gone. The guards hadn't noticed for an hour or so. He tried to rearrange the blankets they had to make it look like Loki was sleeping but someone must have been checking the video surveillance. All hell broke loose after that, guards checking each cell before he heard someone ordering to start looking outside. If they were lucky, Loki was far enough away by now and his friends were coming.  
  
Tony couldn't help the smug little grin that graced his features when he was hauled to his feet and Rumlow came stalking into his room.   
  
"Where's the kid?"   
  
"No idea. Gave him a little pep talk and told him to get out of here."   
  
"Think you're funny huh?" Rumlow asked, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him out of the room. "We only needed him to motivate you to work but we don't need that now."   
  
"What--"  
  
"Mister Stark. " The bald man, Strucker (he had picked that up in passing) was waiting for him in the chair room. He looked annoyed but also gleeful like he had something he was excited to share with Tony. He could hear noise, the sounds of engineers making the armor he designed. "I thought we were making progress but you prove to be as stubborn as they say so I think we need a little more of a push. I received a gift this afternoon."   
  
Strucker stepped aside and Tony's eyes widened. There, strapped to the contraption that erased his memories, was Loki's scepter. Loki's _mind controlling_ scepter. How the hell did they get that? It was in SHIELD's custody wasn't it? What had happened after he was grabbed?  
  
Strucker could tell that Tony knew what this meant and the man gestured to the chair.   
  
"Strap him in. It's time to run our first test run."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL those who guessed Loki were correct! A little too early to introduce Peter and honestly hadn't even thought of Harley. Nope nope. It's a tiny Loki. Another child for Tony to dote on of course, if he stays this way. I'd had this planned since the first part though so finally being able to put it to paper (so to speak) is great. 
> 
> As always, a big big thank you to Larrys_Consulting_Avenger, TheCalmDisco, pxrplegrxpe, baka_yu, travelfan1346, SofiaMichelle, Chrsfrthwckd and levana84 for all of your comments. I liked reading the speculations from the first chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in Loki's view!

-oo-

 

The first thing Loki realized when he came to was that he was not in his room in Asgard anymore. The grand room with the over sized bed and his desk with all of his reading material were gone. Instead he was in a little cell with nothing but a pillow and a blanket. There was something attached to his mouth and he couldn't figure out how to work it. His fingers couldn't tell where the catches were. The shirt he was wearing was over sized, tattered and old and there was a lack of pants. Where were his clothes?   
  
Why was he here?  
  
The last thing he remembered was lunch with mother and Thor. Father was too busy to join them but they always saw him for dinner so it wasn't much of a loss. He was supposed to have more lessons with his mother after lunch but he'd been feeling tired after a morning running after Thor. Thor was far more energetic than he was but he did always try to keep up. He was going to have a nap and then have lessons with his mother but now he was here.  
  
Was he taken from the palace?   
  
It wouldn't have been the first time. Both he and Thor were often the center of such attacks but they were never gone for long than a day or so. Their father was quick to find them because of Heimdall. Heimdall saw everything and this too, he would see. All he had to do was wait. His father would come for him.

 

He wondered how long he'd been here for. He didn't know these people or why they took him. They looked like midgardians but more advanced then the ones he'd seen when their father last took him here and they didn't look at all like the ones in his readings. They weren't primitive or clueless. They were mean looking and made snide remarks. If it weren't for his all-speak, he would have been lost but he understood everything they said. The comments were unkind and cruel. They mocked his predicament and they refused to give him food. He was starving. They never once said how they took him from his home or why he was there. Sometimes they threatened to hurt him, slammed their sticks and weapons against the bar to drive him into the corner.   
  
Without his magic and his words he could do nothing.  
  
Where was his father?

 

It must have been days later when something happened. The guards had a regular schedule to come check on him but for a while there was nothing. A few times, when the guards _did_ walk past, they talked about what was happening. Something about a hydra and shield. Were they in charge of such a beast? He read about them once, none had been seen in a long time but what if they had one and this shield? A man with a shield maybe? Had taken it down. He must have been a strong warrior to do so and maybe this was why they were so scattered. Their beast was gone and now they had no creature to protect them.

 

And then the man arrived.  
  
He was dragged across the floor by his arms and left in the cell across from him. At first he didn't move, so Loki stayed curled up in his cell. Even when he heard the man stirring, he had no interest but the other wasn't having any of it.   
  
At the others insistence, he sat up, wrapping the blanket around his smaller form. The mans eyes went wide, not expecting a child and it looked like he wanted to say something when another man; the man in charge came forward. This man Loki hadn't seen very much of. Maybe once or twice. The bald man seemed to know this new prisoner and the muscle-y guy next to him seemed to as well. He was scarier then the bald one. He looked like he was enjoying himself, especially as he held his weapon and pointed it at him.  
  
That made the new man panic and he agreed to do what they wanted.  
  
Then he said they'd get out of their.  
  
He wasn't very smart.

 

The next morning Loki watched as they dragged the man out of his cell, off to do whatever it was they wanted. Before they closed it, they made Loki move, making him stay in the same cell as the man. He didn't mind. At least he wasn't alone anymore.   
  
When the man was brought back, he was muttering to himself, eyes wild as he tried to remember things. He learned his name was Tony. He learned that Tony had a family and people that were missing him. Did he say Thor--? Were they erasing his memory? It sounded like they were. The man looked scared and that didn't feel right to Loki. Adults weren't supposed to be scared. They were supposed to be strong and brave.   
  
Though his expression did soften when they noticed Loki there with him.   
  
And he took the mouth thing off. His jaw hurt from being stuck that way for so long and he rubbed at his face. He was letting Loki call him Tony even though he said his friends called him that and he shared his food. Loki liked this man even if he did lie about being friends with Thor. Thor was only a little older than Loki was. He wasn't friends with this man. But Loki liked having a friend. He didn't have many friends back home. He had Thor but Thor had always been the more like able one. He ran his mouth, talked back to others. That didn't make friends.   
  
But this man, in the time they shared their cell, he was nice. He didn't talk to Loki like he was a child. He listened to Loki's stories on the second day after he came back later than the first and in turn, shared some of his own. He listened, to be polite because it was a way for Tony to remember what he could but he could still see the fear present there every time it took longer for Tony to remember something or when he forgot a detail in total.

 

Then the third day came and like normal, he watched Tony get taken from the cell and returned later in the day. Tony couldn't remember his mantra anymore but that was alright. Loki remembered it and he helped Tony remember. Then the fear was gone and there was this brightness to his eyes. He remembered something important and slipped a watch over Loki's wrist.   
  
Tony told him he could do magic.  
  
Honestly the thought had slipped his mind. When the guard was on his mouth, he assumed these people took the necessary actions to keep him from doing any magic. Not that he knew much. He'd gotten as far as shape shifting. He could turn into things and his illusions were getting better. His mother was proud of how quickly he was learning. He liked how proud his mother looked and he wanted Tony to give him the same look.   
  
So he agreed to try and try he did.

 

He was running as fast as his feet could take him. Once he'd made it out of the little building, he darted into a field of snow but his little mouse body couldn't make it too far and he had to change back. The watch secure to his wrist, he'd taken off running. Just like Tony said. He didn't stop, he didn't dare look back, he just ran until he couldn't anymore. And once it was too hard to breath, he slowed his pace to walk to catch his breath. He had to of been far enough now, right?   
  
Still he kept moving.   
  
The cold didn't bother him too much, neither did the dark. He was a little chilled but that was always the extent of it. He never had to bundle up much when they went somewhere cold, not like Thor who whined and griped about, telling him that he was lucky the cold didn't bother him as much as it did others.   
  
He stumbled after a little while, starting to feel tired, but he had to keep going. There was nothing but an expanse of snow but off in the distance, he could see trees. Trees would give him cover if they started to look for him.   
  
The watch on his arm then started to beep and Loki looked down at it.   
  
_**'Sir?'  
**_  
It was a smooth voice, coming from the watch. Calm and collected. In a way it reminded him Heimdall. Heimdall was always calm, even when everyone else wasn't.   
  
_**'Sir? Mister Stark?'** _  
  
"Do you know Tony? Hello? Are you Steve?"   
  
_**'I am not Captain Rogers. One moment please."** _  
  
Standing there staring at the watch, the chill started to get to him so he walked on, trudging through the snow.   
  
_"Hello? Tony?"_  
  
It was a new voice this time. It wasn't as calm but it had an air of authority to it. This one was more like his mother. Gentle yet stern.  
  
"No. M'not Tony."   
  
_"A child?"_ He could hear that, even though it sounded like the man tried to muffle it. " _Son, can you tell me where you found this watch?"_  
  
"Tony gave it to me." He sniffled a little, sparing a glance back the way he'd came. Had they figured out he was gone now? Was Tony okay? He knew the man was taking a risk letting him escape. "He told me to get out and run until someone found me. Are you Steve? He said Steve would find me."   
  
There was a moment of silence before the voice answered, soft and fond.   
  
_"Yeah, I'm Steve. We're coming to you alright? Is there a place you can hide?"  
_  
"I think so."   
  
 _"Alright. Hide and wait. We won't be too long."_  
  
"Are you going to help Tony?"  
  
_"We will but we're going to get you first alright? Tony would want us to save you first."_  
  
Loki sniffed a little and he nodded at the watch before realizing that the voice probably couldn't see him. "Alright." He muttered softly. Once he reached the treeline, he hunkered down against the trunk of one and pulled his knees to his chest.   
  
_"Can you tell me what the place you were in was like?"_  
  
"Not very big. Metal. They kept me in a cell."   
  
_"How long?"_  
  
"I dunno--"   
  
" _Why would Hydra want a kid?"_ He heard someone ask in the watch. How many people were in the little device?   
  
 _"Clint-- Did they do anything to you?"_  
  
"Nu uh. Just kept me in a cell but..."   
  
_"Tony?"  
_  
"He's in trouble." At this his voice wobbled and it was stupid. He was doing fine before. Sure he'd been scared but not once did he cry! He could tell Thor that too! He didn't cry and he was brave! But now it was cold and dark and he didn't know where he was and Tony, the nice man in the cell that made him escape was still back there and needed help. Why didn't he stay to help?   
  
_"It's alright kid. He's strong."_  
  
"Yeah?"   
  
_"Yeah. One of the strongest people I know."  
_  
Loki let out a shaky sigh at that. This man Tony was sure would save them, thought Tony was strong. That meant Tony would be okay, right?  
  
A shout rang out in the moment of silence and Loki's head snapped up. Staring off in the distance he could see lights and movement. Oh no.   
  
"They're coming." He squeaked, getting to his feet.   
  
_"What? Kid?"_  
  
"They're coming!"   
  
He didn't wait to hear what Steve would say next. His small legs moved and he took off into the line of trees. He'd been running in snow. He wasn't stupid. The bad men must have seen his foot prints and followed. He had to keep moving. They were bigger and probably faster.  
  
But his mother always called him cunning.   
  
Running up to a tree, he jumped and turned into squirrel, Tony's watch clutched in his mouth. He darted up the trunk and ran along a thin branch, hopping from that tree to another and kept moving along the branches until he couldn't hold the form any longer. He dropped back down to the snow and started running again. Once the men figured it out, if they ever did, he would be a little farther. He hoped it was enough to help.   
  
The shouts were getting a little closer now and he started running faster now. His legs were tired and he was out of breath but he didn't want to go back there!   
  
Then there was a loud bang and something hit the tree he was passing.   
  
They were smarter than he thought.   
  
He didn't know what they were using. It wasn't a bow. It was loud every time it went off and he could hear something whiz by him or hit something every time it went off. That scared him even more.   
  
Pushing himself even harder, his foot hit a root and he fell forward, Tony's watch flying from his hand. He let out a little cry as he hit the ground, the snow doing little to break the fall and he scurried across the cold to get to the watch. He couldn't lose the watch! It was Tony's! Tony's friends could help him! If he lost the watch how would they get rescued?  
  
Cradling the watch up in his hands, he curled up in the snow. The yells were louder. The men were closer and he could hear the pounding of their footsteps in the snow. Then they fired. They fired over and over and over but...not at him?  
  
There was whistling noise, the sound of something bouncing off a tree and hitting someone. Loki lifted his head in time to watch a man in a dark uniform, star bright on his chest; run past him, catching a shield as he did. A shield?   
  
A shield!  
  
Like the one that stopped the hydra!  
  
There was a loud boom, like thunder and Loki watched wide-eyed as thunder rained down from the sky with a taller man wearing a red cape. An Asgardian! His father must have sent someone!   
  
He was so in awe that he didn't see the man with the strange weapon approach him. His arm was grabbed and he let out a cry as he was hauled up only for the man to suddenly still. He started falling back, an arrow sticking out of his chest and Loki fell back.   
  
He was scooped up  and held close by another pair of arms. An archer? They had an archer! It was a team of warriors! Like in the stories Thor loved to listen to! He couldn't wait to tell his brother all about this!  
  
"I've got the kid Cap. Taking him back to Banner and the jet!"   
  
He didn't know who Cap was or who this man was but he was safe and safe was good.

 

The jet was similar to their flying transports on Asgard. The archer man carried him to the jet he mentioned and sat Loki down on a table. His hands stayed tight around Tony's watch and he refused to let it go, even as the archer draped a blanket over his shoulders and another man came over to look at him.   
  
He asked him questions calmly, pushing his spectacles up his nose as he looked his feet over and checked him for any injuries.   
  
"Amazing. He's been out in the snow for at least an hour and there's no sign of frost bite--"   
  
"Experimented on maybe?"   
  
"He could be enhanced. Hey kiddo." The calm man smiled softly, now that he was done doing his looking. "My name is Bruce. This here is Clint. We're friends of Tony's"   
  
"How's the kid?"   
  
The shield man stepped onto the jet. The fighting must have been done. Loki perked up. This was Steve! He recognized the voice from the watch. Behind him was a man and a woman. The man had a metal arm and the woman looked dangerous but she smiled at him kindly.   
  
"He's alright. A little bruised here and there. There's no sign of the cold affecting him though so for being in Hydra's care, he's fine."   
  
"You're Steve right?" He asked, ignoring the others. "The man with the shield that stopped the hydra?"   
  
"I--" Steve looked at the others a little confused, receiving shrugs as an answer for his trouble. "Yeah. I am. We're all friends of Tony's and we're going to keep you safe, alright? What's your name kid?"   
  
"It's--"   
  
_"Loki?"_   
  
All of the people in the room stopped as the Asgardian with the cape stepped on to the jet. He looked at Loki with wide eyes and the others looked between the two confused. Loki was just as confused. The man was Asgardian but he didn't know who he was at all.   
  
"Mhm. Did my father send you? Why did it take so long?"  
  
"Wait wait wait--" It was the archer, Clint. "This can't be Loki. He's a child.''   
  
"He is. I do not know how this happened but I would know my brother anywhere, no matter what age he is. This is Loki."   
  
"I'm not your brother. My brother is Thor."   
  
"Aye--"   
  
"Loki." It was Bruce now, still calm and gentle. "What's the last thing you remember before you woke up in the cell. Think very carefully."  
  
"Lunch. With my mother and my brother." It was the exact same thing he told Tony. "I was supposed to have lessons with my mother in the afternoon but I was tired. I napped and then I was in the cell."  
  
"He doesn't have any memories of being an adult--"   
  
Loki's eyes narrowed and he squinted at the adults as they all started to talk among themselves, ignoring him. He didn't like how they were talking about him but not involving him. That wasn't fair. He was sitting right here and he wasn't even the person that needed help anymore! He glared down at the watch in his hands. Tony said Steve would help but he's arguing with other people.  
  
"I thought you were going to help Tony!"   
  
That caught their attention.   
  
All eyes were back on them and Steve nodded, letting out a sigh.  
  
"Loki's right. We can figured this out after we get Tony. JARVIS, pull up the area. Loki couldn't have come from too far."   
  
**"You are correct Captain. Tracing the path of the watch's trace since it came online there appears to be a small facility here."**  
  
There was a screen that popped up in front of the group and Loki watched the path he took from the building that was shown on the screen. Steve stared at it intently.   
  
"Alright. We're going in blind without much information. We'll hit hard, we'll hit fast. We know Tony's still inside so our mission is to get him out. Once we find him, we extract and we leave. We can take care of the ones in charge after we know he's alright."   
  
"What about the kid?"   
  
"Loki can stay here--"   
  
"But--!"   
  
"No." There was the kind yet stern tone again and Steve was crouching down in front of him. "You've been very brave so far Loki but we'll take it from here alright? It'll be too dangerous for you. You've already done your job, now it's our turn to do ours."   
  
"You promise to get Tony?"  
  
"Yes." Steve's expression became serious. His eyes were bright and clear and Loki could see no lie in them.   
  
"I promise."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this was good! I've never written something in the point of the view of a child. Getting into the mind of little Loki was fun though! I'm having fun with it!
> 
> Special thanks to Hostbusters, deadgloves, roseandthorns28, pxrplegrxpe, Larrys_Consulting_Avenger and the_writer1988 for all of your comments! You are wonderful!


End file.
